With the difficult nature of the content combined with the intimidating definition of a mortgage, the students will likely need the additional support of a second workshop. In this particular lesson, I have actually found great benefit in running the exact same presentation as I did on Day #1. The second time through allows the students to fill in any gaps that they have, and to ask questions at specific points based on where they are stumped in their own work. Running the exact same workshop with the students also shows them that you are there to support them, but NOT give them the right answer… no matter how stuck they think that they are! I regularly run a workshop style format in my class. Although many times my workshops build upon each other and are meant to provide scaffolding to struggling students, I enjoy mixing in these types of repeated workshops so that the kids do not continually feel as though I will just reveal the next step to them through an upcoming workshop. It keeps them accountable for thinking critically and independently!

As an alternate option, you may choose to video record your first workshop, and allow the students to replay it on their own time – I utilize this strategy in my classroom, and it allows me the freedom to help students instead of being confined to the front of the classroom re-running a workshop that I have already ran. It also allows the students to pause the workshop and ask me specific questions, or collaborate with their peers. This will be very difficult, however, if you do not have the supporting 1 to 1 technology.

Resources

With their fliers and presentations due tomorrow, I allow for the remainder of class to be a work time. Many of the students who did not attend the optional repeat workshop will likely be making great progress on their fliers. Remind the students that once their fliers are done they may wish to practice with another group – that is, explain the oral communication component of the activity to each other. Encourage the students to take their work home to their parents and practice explaining it to them as well!

Using video as an instructional tool: One of the most beneficial things that I was asked to do in my college education courses was to watch myself teaching on video. It is really humbling to see your flaws, and the camera doesn’t lie! Occasionally I like to expose my students to this, especially when an oral communication component is involved. I encourage my class to use their Ipads to video themselves during their practice oral communication components. It is really good for the kids to see themselves on camera, and they can easily pick out the areas that they need to improve because they are their biggest critics!